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Kansas Wins National Title...

My point about coaching is painted with a broad brush. All I'm saying is that alot of what is mentioned in the thread in regard to winning and losing the game came down to what a player is doing or learning in the weekly practice. - " All the right plays down the stretch" End of game strategy is or should be a daily drill in practice. - " No foul shows lack of game winning strategy" Same as above. - " Kansas being perfect at the end" Apparently something that was taught in practice by Self and staff or they would not have been perfect down the stretch. - "Memphis foul trouble". This is something taught in practice also. How and when to use your fouls. I hear week after week that the team is a reflection of the coach, so heart and guts, and how the players play in a game are 2 catagories where I think coaching plays a major part of the success of a team. I thought it was a great game and both teams were very talented and could have won the game. I also think that fate / or luck has alot to do with the out come of the game. Maybe good coaching puts a team on the more positive side of luck or fate when the game is on the line.

Kansas Wins National Title...

It's been said all year by many different people that free throws would come back to haunt Memphis and they were all right, but that is not the whole story. How many D1 coaches(Calipari) seem to have no game ending strategy, time -outs, fouls etc......... Granted Memphis had a good percentage when there was zero pressure, but choked at crunch time. Could it be that maybe the Memphis team puts more emphasis on practicing the 3 point shot, than they do shooting free throws at the end of every practice, or maybe they have dunk competitons. I saw Calipari on Sports Center about 1 month ago say that free throws would not be a factor with this team, WRONG! Let's face it, Self is flat out a better coach. I also heard Calipari say on a sports show that he was going to put this game in the hands of the players and let them do their thing. As I have said many times before that is AAU team coaching mentality that seems to prevail in basketball coaching today, wether it be a the D1 level or grade school level. You can go to a local park in your city and see this type of basketball any day of the week, it's alley ball! I have no dog in this fight but I think a fundamentally solid basketball team will beat a group of superior athletes that have basketball ability any day of the week. Congrats to both teams they certainly deserved to be there, but the best COACHED BASKETBALL team won.

Indiana set to hire Crean as hoops coach

Chargdres, I stand corrected on both John Jr. and his son,Thanks. I hope Crean can restore some of that academic pride to IU. He certainly tried to establish some Indiana camaraderie in his acceptance speech yesterday. He mentioned BK, Indiana highschool basketball, IU basketball tradition, and a few other tibits. I think he got an 8 year contract so I guess he has some time, if the fans will be patient. I still think the AD should go.

Indiana set to hire Crean as hoops coach

Chargdres, I stand corrected on both John Jr. and his son,Thanks. I hope Crean can restore some of that academic pride to IU. He certainly tried to establish some Indiana camaraderie in his acceptance speech yesterday. he mentioned BK, Indiana highschool basketball, IU basketball tradition, and a few other tibits. I think he got an 8 year contract so I guess he has some time, if the fans will be patient. I still think the AD should go.

Indiana set to hire Crean as hoops coach

Since Motta /Matta? at OSU has big ties to Indiana I am kinda suprised his name didn't enter the picture more. I could be wrong but I think Crean has recruited a couple of kids out of Indiana. Pearl is probably in a situation where he has the opportunity to make a run at the national title a couple of more times so that would take him out of the picture. I saw an interview with Pearl and in that piece it was said he was not highly paid. Being the huge Indiana fan that I am it hurts me to say that the programs reputation in the last few years also has something to do with the ability to get a super coach. I think Crean is a good coach but the verdict is out on if he is a super star. I have been impressed with his current teams but they seemed to be a little up and down at times. We all know that the NCAA is not done with IU yet, and I think that looms large. All you have know about John Thompson Jr. is where he played his college ball, and the great coach he had to know why he is more book oriented than most of the coaches in the NCAA. By the way the SI piece on him was great. As for his father, I don't think he had very many academic all Americans. I think he had great athletes and good kids but I'm no sure there was a great focus on grades. Some one help me out here, why does the AD at Indiana still have his job? If anybody can justify him keeping his job I would like to here it. I think he is more guilty than any body in this whole mess, including KS.

Critics Go Ape Over LeBron James Magazine Cover

Who says we are split down the middle? I think I have read many more threads that think this is something to do about nothing than the opposite. And another thing, why are many of the contributors talking about LJ like he some kind of little kid that is being taken advantage of by his "HANDLERS". LJ has been more places and seen more things in the last 4 years than most of use will experience in a life time. I hardly think he is the kid that allot want to make him out to be. He seems to be a very smart young man, give him a break. He is not going to realize in the future that this was done in poor taste because it wasn't. I think his nick name of KING JAMES is an indicator of how he is perseved with his public. He had some fun doing this with a beautiful girl and made some money. And frankly all those people that want to make a big deal out of this, it is none of your business or concern and you should get a life.I bet LJ didn't lose one seconds sleep over the issue and for that matter never will.

Critics Go Ape Over LeBron James Magazine Cover

I think this is being blown completely out of wack. - LJ okd the picture - Gisele okd the picture So why is it anybodys business except those 2 if the picture is on the cover. I guess some people are bored, why does there always have to be some long drawn explanation. It looks like to me they were having fun and making money. HEY, I would seriously like to get lil_brown_bat's opinion on this. lbb has some great comments and I think this would be a great subject for a comment. I'm serious!

"KG tanked it."

ok,ok, I admit ignorance. I am not a professional basketball fan so I didn't know those stats. It's the NBA, I guess you could call that basketball. But I do know enough to know that KM also fired Flip Saunders and couldn't do anything with one of the best players of our time. Play-off appearences don't count, did they win the title,NO. So I guess his so called genius is a wash.

"KG tanked it."

"KG tanked it."

I guess I'm showing my ignorance but when was Bird a head coach in the NBA? I'm serious, when was Bird a head coach in the NBA, was it with the Pacers? I'm embarassed that I don't know when. Please don't get me wrong , like I said I'm a huge Larry Bird fan. I would like to know why the Pistons got over the fall-out from the fight, and a few seasons later the Pacers are still in shock. I really don't think Jermaine can be blamed he has not had a very good supporting cast the last 2 seasons.

"KG tanked it."

I hope it not something in the water that KM drank while he was playing in Boston. This is very similiar to what appears to be happening at Indiana, and he and LB drank the same water. I am a very loyal Bird fan but it seems that he and Kevin should have stayed out of the management end of the business and rode their white horse into the sunset after they retired from playing the game. Maybe there was a reason the Celtics did not want either player after they retired. The same goes for the situation in New York, with their current coach. IT was not offered anything in Detriot after his retirement.

The Sad tale of Maurice Stokes.

My rant was not about the actual structure of the game itself. I think that is there and will never change. My argument is basically pointed toward the fundementals of the game. Shooting, rebounding defensive and offensive play etc... As I pointed out in my first responce, a team had the chance to beat the #1 team in the country Saturday and couldn't get over the hump because they missed EVERY free throw going down the stretch. What is ironic about that game is that NC couldn't hit a free throw either but it didn't matter because VT was already behind and because of missed free throws couldn't catch up. I heard an announcer say they shot 100 throws daily and the other announcer said they didn't shoot enough in a practice game situation, thats exactly right. It all goes back to poor coaching.

The Sad tale of Maurice Stokes.

The Sad tale of Maurice Stokes.

AMEN to all the above with their comparision of the 2 eras, past and present. In the said(55,60,and some of the 70) time frame fundemental basketbal was played. The game was not 3 point shooting and a slam dunk contest. Pick and Roll, Blocking out, Squaring your shoulders with the backboard for a put back, proper free throw form, were coached in that time frame. It amazes me as I have been watching the NCAA these past few days how the total concept of the game has been abandon. I see young men who bring the ball up one side of the court or the other on the fast break when the ball should be brought up the middle and the lanes should be filled for an outlet pass to the left or right. I see players who miss free throws going down the stretch, and lose conference titles simply because they think it is more important to practice a 3 point shot at the end of practice instead of free throws, and worst of all VERY POOR clock control going down the stretch in a tight game. The strategy seems to be hold the ball until the last second and pray for the 3 pointer to go in. The game has evolved into streetball and nothing more. Where has the coaching gone? We are now watching basketball that has been relegated to an AAU level. I profess that if you had a team made up of Oscar,Stokes, and Walt Belamy, along with some complimentry players, of that era, not superstars this team would win the NBA title hands down. The same would go at the college level with fundemental players. The game of basketball has been replaced with alley ball, because of poor coaching, AAU, and the televised NBA games. Professional basketball is garbage. I'm sorry for my rant, but I love the game that has feel by the way-side This was one of the best articles I have read in along time. Oscar has some great old experiences in his book "The Big O". It is a very good book to read.

Meet the New Boss, Same as the Old Boss?

Dyams, AMEN on your last contribution. The Tigers are going to quietly beat the hell out of both the Red Soxs and the Yankees. And American League fans don't forget Cleveland. I love the conversation on this thread.